Bolster pad and method of making the same



Se t. 16, 1969 M. R. LEVlTT 3,467,034

BOLSTER PAD AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed April 15. 1966 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR; Afl/fon Lev/ff Sept. 16,-1969 M. R. LEVITT3,467,034

BOLSTER PAD AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed April 15, 1966 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FQL4 INVliPf'l UR.

Mf/fon e A evf/f United States Patent US. Cl. 128--81 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A bolster pad for disposition in the sulciform region ofthe toes and attached directly to the foot of the user to provide relieffor afflicted toes and also exercise for the foot for both thealleviation and prevention of adverse conditions in the region in themetatarsal arch and toes of the foot, although other uses may beapparent to those skilled in the art.

Frequently, at middle age or thereafter there is a tendency for theadipose tisge beneath the metatarsal heads to move forwardly into thesulciform regions of the toes, and consequently the toes tend to losetheir gripping power. Such condition encourages the development ofadverse metatarsal symptoms which can, in many cases, be avoided orprevented by utilizing some means, such as the instant invention, to notonly maintain the adipose tissue in its proper location but also providethe toes with exercise of a beneficial character to tone the foot andretain it in a vitalized condition.

With the use of a bolster pad, such as the instant invention, placed inthe sulciform region of the toes, the resilient cushioning andsupporting means afforded by the pad are in position to be gripped bythe toes at each step of the user, and the toes are subjected tosubstantially constant exercise while the user is walking or otherwisechanging positions of his feet, and this exercise aids in thereactivation and revitalization of Weak foot muscles and strainedligaments, giving beneficial results to the foot, relieving arch sag,strengthening and raising the metatarsal arch, and performing similarcorrective and alleviating functions.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instantinvention to provide an economical and efficient bolster pad, simple inconstruction, one that is effective, and which may be laundered at will.

Also an object of this invention is the provision of a simple form ofbolster pad in which the pressure sustaining property of the part of thepad underlying toes, may be varied at will.

Another object of this invention is the position of a bolster pad thatmay be made entirely in a simple manner from a single tubular memberhaving an inner layer of stretchable fabric and an outer thicker layerof thermoplastic foam or the equivalent.

It is also an important object of this invention to provide a new andnovel method of making a bolster pad.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will becomeapparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a piece of mateterial from which abolster pad incorporating principles of the instant invention may bemade;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the structure of FIGURE 1 showing stepsin the process of making a pad therefrom;

3,467,084 Patented Sept. 16, 1969 FIGURE 3 is a top perspective view ofa finished bolster pad;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view illustrating the use of thebolster pad on the human foot;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the pad emphasizing the sideand one end of the pad;

FIGURE 6 is a greatly enlarged central vertical sectional view takensubstantially as indicated by the line VI-VI of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a greatly enlarged transverse vertical sectional viewthrough the pad taken substantially as indicated by the line VII-VII ofFIGURE 5.

As shown on the drawings:

The instant invention may perhaps best be introduced by way of themethod of making it, as illustrated more particularly in FIGURES 1, 2and 3. At the outset, a tube 1 of cushioning material is selected of alength in accordance with the size of resilient device desired, sincethe bolster pad may be made in various sizes to accommodate the feet ofchildren, women and men. The tube 1 preferably consists of an innerlayer 2 of a fabric stretchable to some extent, such as a woven gauze orthe like, and an outer layer 3 of cushioning material such as a foam,polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyurethane impregnated with a vinylor acetate substance, or any equivalent material capable of producing anelectronically heat sealable foam is highly satisfactory. The foam 3 is,of course, much thicker than the lining or inner layer 2, and the foammay have intercommunicating cells for ventilative purposes. Suchmaterial will have a soft gentle and somewhat clinging feel when appliedagainst the human foot. The resultant laminate construction isstretchable to an extent sufiicient for proper application to a foot ofthe finished article, the stretch of the foam being limited to themaximum stretch of the fabric lining. The tube 1 may be made by castingor curing the foam directly to the fabric lining, which lining may beinitially woven in tubular form and then the foam applied or the liningmay be in flat condition with the foam applied and a tube formed fromthe same.

Substantially half-tubular or larger sections 4 and 5 are removed fromthe end portions of the tube, as indicated in FIGURE 2. This leavescurvate portions 6 and 7 remaining on opposite ends of a centralcompletely tubular portion 8 which has remained intact. The remainingend portions 6 and 7 may then be folded over the tubular portion 8 andheat sealed together in end-to-end abutment as indicated at 9. The twoend portions thereby form a toe loop for the reception of a plurality oftoes of the foot when the device is applied to the foot.

However, it may be desired to render the tubular portion 8 somewhatfirmer or denser insofar as its cushioning property is concerned, and tothat end one of the removed sections, section 4 for example, may befolded and inserted Within the tubular portion 8 of the device prior tothe joining of the remaining end portions 6 and 7. It will be seen thatthe end portions 6 and 7 preferably overlie the ends of the opening inthe tube, and consequently will retain the inserted piece 4 within thetubular section 8 against accidental dislo-dgement.

Insertion of the section 4 within the tubular portion 8 after beingfolded longitudinally as indicated at 10 in FIGURE 7, will result in thesection 4 substantially filling the inside of the tubular section 8,thereby adding to the firmness with which that section will pressagainst the toes or, in other words, will render the portion 8 lessyieldable to foot pressure thereon. If both sections 4 and 5 areinserted in the section 8 the pad will be still more firm.

In FIGURE 4, I have illustrated the application of the device to a humanfoot 11, with the tubular body portion 8 of the device disposed in thesulciform region of the three intermediate toes 12, the toe loop formedby the end portions 6 and 7 overlying the toes. In this position thepart 8 of the bolster pad will aid in maintaining adipose tissue of themetatarsal heads in proper position beneath those metatarsal heads andat every step of the user will cause a gripping of the part 8 by thetoes of the foot, thereby providing comfortable but compulsory andbeneficial exercise of the foot during use of the bolster pad. As thecondition of the foot improves, and the full effect of the device withthe insert 4 therein may become no longer necessary, the toe loop willstretch sufiiciently to permit the removal of the section 4 from thetubular portion 8 and thereby render the device more yieldable to footpressure. The bolster pad is therefore adjustable as to its pressureresisting property at will and depending upon the condition of theparticular foot.

Should there be a hammer toe condition on the third toe of the foot, thedevice may be mounted in position to alleviate that condition also, byhaving the toe loop go over the second toe, under the third toe, andover the fourth toe of the foot. When mounted on the foot in thisposition, the third toe will have the benefit of the underneath supportof a portion of the toe loop in addition to the tubular portion 8 of thebolster pad, tending to provide a straightening effect upon the hammertoe, without lessening the effectiveness of the device in any otherregard.

It will be noted that it is not essential that the removed sections 4and 5 from the initial tube 1 be of the same length, but one may belonger than the other, depending upon where it is desired to dispose theheat seal seam 9 when the device is applied to the foot. Also, there maybe only one removed section from side of the remaining tubular portion8, and the single remaining end portion of the device may alone form thetoe loop with the outer end thereof secured to the tubular portion 8directly. It is only necessary that the toe loop be formed of sufiicientlength to loosely overlie the tubular portion 8 and provide roomconsistent with a slight stretching of the toe loop to accommodate thetoes for the particular size de vice being made.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of making a bolster pad for application to the human footincluding the steps of,

removing substantially half sections from each end portion of a tube ofcushioning material leaving the central portion of the tube intact, andfolding the remaining end portions of the tube over the intact centralportion and securing the ends thereof together to form a toe loop. 2.The method of claim 1 including the additional step of inserting atleast part of the removed half sections within the intact centralportion. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cushioning material isthermoplastic foam, including the step of heat sealing the ends of theremaining end portions together. 4. A bolster pad for application to thehuman foot, including a tubular portion of cushioning material, a toeloop integral with said tubular portion and of the same material, aninsert in said tubular portion also of cushioning material, and said toeloop extending over the ends of said tubular portion to retain saidinsert within said tubular portion. 5. A bolster pad for application tothe human foot, including a tubular portion of cushioning material, atoe loop integral with said tubular portion, an insert in said tubularportion of the same material, said insert being folded lengthwise tosubstantially fill the inside of said tubular portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,932,295 4/1960 Fisher 128-813,110,306 11/1963 Posner 128-81 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,258,121 2/ 1961France.

835,035 3/1952 Germany.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner JOHN D. YASKO, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R. 128-153

